Fenlong Festival draws massive crowds in Guangxi

Celebrations for the 2023 Maonan Fenlong Festival has commenced in Huanjiang Maonan autonomous county, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, with more than 20,000 locals and tourists gathering for folk songs, delicacies and cultural feast.

The Fenlong Festival is a traditional event for the Maonan ethnic group, and it originated from an old ritual to wish for a good harvest.

In Chinese mythology, dragon kings lord over the seas and control the weather. The festival is said to be a day when dragon kings separate and bring rain to different places. It is now a major annual event for the Maonan people, and usually takes place in the fifth month of the lunar calendar each year.

The celebration is full of Maonan characteristics. Folk cultural activities and performances such as "dragon kings separate and give rain" greeted the attendees.

The festival staged splendid lion and dragon dance performances, profound intangible cultural heritage exhibitions, and melodious folk song concerts.

At the event, tourists were able to watch calligraphy and painting exhibitions. They got to watch the Maonan ethnic group's traditional sports competitions, gaining better insight into authentic Maonan folk customs.

As the birthplace of the Maonan ethnic group, Xianan town is the place with the richest Maonan cultural atmosphere. By utilizing and inheriting traditional folk culture, this year's Fenlong Festival aims to promote the development of ethnic culture-focused tourism.